2024 could be called the Year of Bated Breath in Laguna Woods Village.
Residents waited to exhale as decisions were being made that would affect their everyday lives, from the Building E plans to the board member recall and the closures of both Clubhouse 1 and the local DMV. Even a new TV policy in a fitness center brought an outpouring of letters to the Globe.
At the same time, events took place in Laguna Woods that brought people together and cemented the fact that we are, indeed, living in a community.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights and lowlights of the past year in the Village.
Laguna Woods Village residents gathered in March 2024 at the Performing Arts Center for the “One Song — 300 Voices” event. Nearly 300 residents sang a song of peace and hope in the unifying musical experience put on by Community Bridge Builders. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch)
Laguna Woods Village residents gathered in March 2024 at the Performing Arts Center for the “One Song — 300 Voices” event. Nearly 300 residents sang a song of peace and hope in the unifying musical experience put on by Community Bridge Builders. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch)
Laguna Woods residents attend the special recall meeting at the Performing Arts Center on Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch Contributing Photographer)
Laguna Woods residents march from Polly’s Pies to the Laguna Hills DMV on Sept. 26 in a protest over the impending closure of the branch of the DMV. The branch closed permanently on Oct. 18, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch – Contributing Photographer)
Laguna Woods residents enjoy the music of the Woods Combo on the patio at Clubhouse 2 during the Village’s 60th anniversary celebration on Sept. 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch Contributing Photographer)
A banner announces the 60th anniversary of Laguna Woods Village as residents make their way into Clubhouse 2 for the celebration on Sept. 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch Contributing Photographer)
Cyndee Whitney and Claudia Myres check out the eclipse on April 8, 2024, at a viewing party in Laguna Woods hosted by the Astronomy Club. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch)
The Laguna Woods Village transportation hub is back in front of Clubhouse 1. Here, a bus waits Sept. 16, 2024, the day the clubhouse reopened after a six-month renovation. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch Contributing Photographer)
Laguna Woods resident Mayer Morchy sniffs pot contained in a clear plastic sensory pod with the press of a puff button at The Artist Tree cannabis dispensary, which opened in Laguna Woods on May 31, 2024. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch, Contributing Photographer)
History has been made in Laguna Woods, as the city has its first ever all-female City Council. The members of the new council stand inside City Hall on Dec. 11, 2024, after the swearing-in ceremony. They are, from left, Pearl Lee, Annie McCary, Shari Horne, Cynthia Conners and Carol Moore. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch, Contributing Photographer)
Patrons enjoy and refreshments in the plaza at the OC Public Library system’s grand opening of its Laguna Woods branch on Jan. 27, 2024. (Photo by Frank D’Amato, Contributing Photographer)
Show Caption1 of 11Laguna Woods Village residents gathered in March 2024 at the Performing Arts Center for the “One Song — 300 Voices” event. Nearly 300 residents sang a song of peace and hope in the unifying musical experience put on by Community Bridge Builders. (Photo by Mark Rabinowitch)
ExpandClubhouse 1 closure
Clubhouse 1 was closed to residents from March to September for the first substantial renovation of the 41,000-square-foot building since it went up in 1964.
Clubs, groups and individuals were concerned: Where would they go to meet, learn, swim, play sports and get fit?
The recreation department came through, finding space in other clubhouses and expanding the opening hours of the available pools and fitness centers.
But the archers, shuffleboarders and volleyball players were left out in the cold.
Clubhouse 1 reopened to residents on Sept. 16, coming in on schedule and under budget, according to Guy West, projects manager with Village Management Services.
West told the Golden Rain Foundation board members at their meeting Dec. 3 that $3.25 million had been budgeted for the renovation and that the total cost had come to about $3.1 million, with the balance destined for the reserve fund.
But not all residents were happy. In letters to the Laguna Woods Globe, fitness center users complained about “noxious odors” coming from the new flooring. Another writer talked about the “deafening” noise level in one of the meeting rooms. And one writer said the new fireplace, though beautiful, doesn’t fit in with the Spanish-style motif of the building.
West told the GRF board that VMS was aware of the odor and the noise and was working on the problem or would be in the future. No word on the fireplace.
Building E
Frustrated residents flocked to three meetings of the Building E Space Planning Ad-Hoc Committee in 2024 to state their case in a battle some saw as pitting residents against management.
At issue was the proposed relocation of the Table Tennis Club, the PC Club and the Mac Club facilities from the Community Center to other clubhouses. VMS security personnel and other staff would move into the vacated spaces. The reason for the proposal was the poor condition of Building E, which previously housed security members.
“The proposed moves are for the benefit of the administration, but it’s the residents who need to benefit,” Table Tennis Club member Marie Bolchazy told the committee at one of the meetings.
A second proposal called for replacing the old Building E with a prefab structure – an idea favored by the residents affected.
“To me, to move the table tennis room to get office space is like repurposing the Sistine Chapel for more office space for the papacy,” said resident Artie Rosenstein.
In the end, directors of the Village mutuals voted to shelve the Building E issue, meaning all club facilities in the Community Center would remain there, and security and other VMS staffers would stay in rented space in an office building next door.
Director recalls
The effort to recall two GRF board members also had residents up in arms, with some distributing petitions against the recall and organizing a town hall at the Performing Arts Center. The purpose of the forum was to inform residents of the recall effort against GRF Directors Jim Hopkins and Yvonne Horton, an action initiated by the Third board.
At a special corporate members meeting, Third board President Mark Laws cited the two directors’ conduct and behavior and “behind-the-scenes actions and shenanigans.”
More than 300 residents attended the meeting.
Those who addressed the corporate members spoke in favor of Hopkins and Horton. Resident Carmen Pacella said he had heard nothing but glowing reviews of Hopkins and Horton. He also noted that GRF dues had gone up only $5 in 10 years.
“I want those people on my team,” he said, “not the ones that keep raising the dues every single year.”
In the end, Hopkins and Horton were voted off the board 18-6 in a secret ballot.
Fitness center TVs
Also in 2024, the GRF board voted to approve certain channels for the six TVs in the Community Fitness Center. Seems that arguments had erupted “between residents and staff being accused of election conspiracies if the televisions do not display the news channels of the viewer’s choice.”
Directors approved “noncompetitive and noncontroversial” channels National Geographic, CBS Sports Network, Destination America, History Channel, Travel Channel and ESPN.
The new policy brought a slew of letters to the Globe from readers for and against it.
“I believe … that people can respect each other’s opinions, agree to disagree and behave like adults. I don’t think we have to have our news feeds be filtered,” said Rosalyn Kline.
R. Gray wrote about “enjoying the new programming as it is a step up from all those boring and conflicting” shows.
W.P. Bordi suggested banning the unruly gymgoers, not the TV channels.
And, like many other writers, Jim Quigley opined, “Here’s one vote for no TVs at all in any of the exercise rooms.”
DMV closure
Despite pleas from residents, a protest and efforts by Laguna Woods City Council members and other local politicians, the California Department of Motor Vehicles closed its Laguna Hills branch, saying it “does not meet the current needs of the DMV.”
The DMV said most transactions could be done online, by mail or through DMV business partners. Or, it said, residents could make their way to DMV branches in Santa Ana, Costa Mesa or San Clemente.
About 20 residents gathered for a protest against the impending closure.
Roseanne Corrigliano said she has lived in the Village since the early ‘80s, before the Laguna Hills DMV opened.
Residents needed to use the DMV office in San Clemente, “and the lines were enormous,” she said, “not to mention the drive down there.”
Village’s 60th anniversary
2024 was also a reason to celebrate.
Residents descended in droves on Clubhouse 2 to mark the Village’s 60th anniversary with food, fun, music and a host of information on the community’s history and available resources.
It was “a party for everyone,” said Gwen Ginocchio.
“I came to celebrate how lucky we are to live here and to appreciate all the employees and people who help out here,” said Joe Camera.
The History Center held a yearlong commemoration of the Village with displays of artifacts and photos showing its history, from the time that the area was mere ranch land owned by the Moulton family, to the construction of the community in the 1960s, to its milestone years.
Community singalong
Nearly 300 residents of diverse nationalities, religions, ethnic backgrounds, races, ages and vocal abilities gathered at the Performing Arts Center over three days to sing an ode to peace, hope and friendship.
“One Song – 300 Voices” was put on by the Village group Community Bridge Builders as an effort to provide hope of a more positive, unified community through music.
For the participants, the event fulfilled its mission.
“‘One Song’ showed how a community comes together,” said Marcy Sheinwold.
Sue Dearing described it as “joyfully celebrating diversity and community through beautiful music.”
Pat Cameron called the event simply “one giant hug.”
Eclipse party
More than 200 people gathered near Clubhouse 4 to watch the moon make a painfully slow path across the bottom half of the sun in a solar eclipse viewing party hosted by the Astronomy Club.
It was dubbed across the nation as the “Great American Eclipse,” but California didn’t get the full effect: The moon ate up only 50% of the sun at maximum coverage.
“It looks like a croissant,” resident Lucy Bilinski exclaimed.
It wasn’t lost on some viewers that the eclipse might be the last one they would see in their lives; the next one to be visible in the U.S. is expected in 2044.
“I am absorbing everything,” said Barta Gaywood, 91. “I’ll probably never see another one. I am so glad I have this opportunity.”
Joe Camera, president of the Astronomy Club, said his goal for the event was to bring the eclipse close to home for residents and to make it a community affair.
“To share this unique experience with the community, to experience it with friends and neighbors is the special part,” he said.
Cannabis dispensary
If many residents waited to exhale in 2024, others couldn’t wait to inhale.
They got that chance when The Artist Tree cannabis dispensary opened just outside Gate 3, the first legal dispensary in South Orange County, selling marijuana, edibles and paraphernalia.
“If you can’t get it here, you probably can’t get it anywhere,” said resident Alan Wall.
For many residents who do inhale, the location of the dispensary was the big draw. No longer did they have to drive to Santa Ana for their pot.
Susan Harris perused the marijuana flowers on opening day.
“This is wonderful for the community,” she said of the dispensary. “It’s wonderful for an older person to be able to sit down and relax in the afternoon. And not have to rely on opiates or any other forced medications for pain.”
Laguna Woods library
Also opening in Laguna Woods in 2024 was the public library, a branch of the Orange County Public Libraries system.
Located right next to City Hall, it offers access to the 1.7 million items in the county library system’s collection. The 3,400-square-foot building itself offers books and audio material, seven computers and Wi-Fi, an activities room and more.
Elections
Both Third Mutual and United Mutual in the Village, as well as the city of Laguna Woods, held elections in 2024.
In the mutuals, members chose new directors for the boards, although as the months went on, it turned out that the boardroom had a revolving door.
The city, however, made history when voters delivered Laguna Woods’ first all-female City Council.
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